A while back, I wrote that whilst modern technical developments are revolutionising political campaigning in the UK, it has been generally to date in a negative direction. Bloggers, Twitter-ers, YouTubers, Flickrists won’t win elections, but as the events surrounding Stuart MacLennan prove in Scotland, they can sure as hell lose them (or, at least, your candidate).
One aspect which has been revolutionized is the old traditional poster. Party management must now be dreading their own hitting streets because, as sure as night follows day, there will be a spoof along before the paste is even dry...perfect example is this. The DUP put a nice, presentable lady declaiming the UK Conservatives and Unionists. Several clicks round the "net", lady in question it appears will find it very difficult to express her disgust at United Kingdom Unionism because, well, she is quite oblivious to the turmoil presently erupting on the boulevards and fields of North Down and FST as she is happily residing in the US of A . The Dupes will probably argue that Unionist Unity is such a worthy concept that it quite capable of reaching its scaly arms across the Atlantic but that debatable point aside, the reality is although the revelation will have little effect at the ballot box, it can give a little spring in the step to their opponents on the ground who sometimes appear a ittle bit too much in awe of the DUP’s election-time professionalism.
Like posters, PEBS are not a new tool, but like posters new technology can rip apart the work of hours/days in minutes be it on YouTube or the merciless blogs. Case in point the SDLP effort where the party’s dignitaries looked like a firm of down at heel estate-agents almost pleading with the stony-hearted public to give them another chance at selling a not very des-res to them. And what a none too subtle subliminal message that St Patrick's Cathedral backdrop gave. Sinn Fein don’t muck about when offered that kind of open goal.
Which brings us finally to the Conservative and Unionist broadcast last night. It was pretty impressive I thought, 8/10 plus. Yep, I know I am biased but even opponents seem to have been prepared to give a "pass". I especially liked the subtle, subliminal (take note SDLP) message sent out with Trevor Ringland in his British and Irish Lions top- although they could have clipped out some very dodgy handling taking place in the background with those spin-passes! Professional and confidence-building for the party on the ground. Not sure it will have won that many more votes but it sure won't have lost any and in this modern, merciless, media age, that's the best you can generally hope for:
2 comments:
Some of my favourite election poster stitch-ups are at www.mydavidcameron.com/ - I even know Conservatives who find them amusing...!
They're not bad,)
Wonder where it!s all going to end though? Folk are spending more time spoofing the opposition than coming up with their own inventive ideas.
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